Work in Progress

 I meant to post a picture of work in progress of the newest assignment but have been so busy I forgot.. It is further along now but I wanted to give an idea of what it will look like in the end.

I will post the finished version tomorrow.

Final Project

In our Foundation 2D Design class we have been working on our new and final assignment for the semester. The project is related to scientific and mathematical principles such as the Golden Mean, Macrocosm, and Microcosm. The plan is to take these ideas (criteria) and create a panel in eight different values to show these ideas. We are also suppose to use striations to create depth within our pieces. So before we began we first started by talking about what all these words mean...

The Golden Mean is "a mathematical concept which expresses the relationship of two parts of a whole with each other and with the whole."

Macrocosm is "the great world or universe; the universe considered as a whole." Or in other words the larger picture...

Microcosm is "a little world; a world in miniature." Or in other words a zoomed in or closer look at something

Then I started my assignment by looking at different images and researching more about the meanings and ideas behind all of this. I found many images that were interesting but then it was time to think about what I wanted to include within the piece. After contemplating a theme and/or what I wanted to include, I decided on home and family.  I suppose this is because the semester is coming to an end  and I will be home for a month and am very much looking forward to it. Anyway, I live in Waretown, New Jersey so I began to look at pictures of the ocean, bay, creek and so on. Eventually I decide to include a picture of the creek because it is right behind me house. (I tried to look for the image I am using but could not find it so I will try to post it at a later date.) The image of the creek is going to be used as the middle section of the composition and will be the macrocosm, because it is showing a larger picture of an area. Then I was thinking about microcosm and what image to use for that, soon I decided and elephant because they are have a strong family meaning to me personally. Then the golden mean was difficult to choose because I did not want to do a spiral of a shell because it seemed to be a very typical image in many of the examples our professor showed us. So I decided to do a sunflower because my mother loves flowers and although we do not have any in our garden they remind me of my area because they are planted in various places from Long Beach Island to Waretown and beyond. For the golden mean I also divided my panel into different segments to include the number sequence even more. In the end I am excited about this assignment and like the theme I came up with in some ways it is very personal in the ideas of family but as far as home goes I tried to show a more broad meaning because although I live in Waretown I consider many of the neighboring town my home because of the times I've spent in each of those places. Anyway, I will post an in progress picture of the panel and a completed version when I am done.

 

 

 

Updated Concept Boards

Here they are, the concept boards with changes made to them..

 

Surrealism

In class we began a new project a few weeks ago on Photoshop... we were to create a surrealistic landscape through juxtaposing images. We also required to play with scale and to be sure to include a foreground, middle ground, and background.

This is the composition I came up with....

 

Abstraction of an Object

Recently in class we were working on a new assignment that has to do with abstraction. The objective was to choose a small object and to draw it realistically on an 8x8. After that we were to choose a smaller section of that drawing with a viewfinder 4x4, then we placed tracing paper on top of the drawing and beneath the viewfinder to then trace the section that we had selected. We were encouraged to find an area of the composition that showed figure and ground relationship. Then, we made a grid on the tracing paper and also on an 8x8 to then enlarge the selected area of the piece making sure to abstract it. We were also to mix three different values of tempera paint making sure that there was noticeable difference between the colors. Once we had the paint mixed and the new 8x8 composition we began painting.

This is a snapshot of me tracing two other 8x8 compositions of the abstracted drawing.

We are doing three compositions and reversing the color of the first.... so for example whatever if painted black in the second composition will be painted white. Then the third composition will be textured with real and or implied texture.

 

This is the first painting I did of my abstracted object but in the end I had to re-do it because I painted on drawing paper which caused the paper to curl a lot. So next week in class I re-painted it on Bristol paper which is much thicker and as a result I had less curling which made it easier to paint.

I will post the three finished compositions once they are done and mounted.

 

Concept Boards

A recent assignment in this class was to create concept boards using Photoshop. I believe the purpose of this assignment was to introduce the class to what a concept board is and the purposes of making one. As well as to enable use to practice different tools on Photoshop and to introduce us to new ones. I also believe we were given this assignment to reflect subjects we have covered in this class.

The assignment was to create three boards on Photoshop with one about an artist, principle, and element. We were also encouraged to use new techniques and tools that were taught to us such as changing color by using color range and using bitmap to abstract a picture. 

This concept board was a snapshot I took while working on it in the computer lab. I had abstracted the main image through bitmap and then changes the color by selecting the color range. I have changed the colors on this concept board and have added more to the composition.

This is a snapshot of all three concept boards I created. I plan to go back an add more contrast to the center picture on the line board because the image is washed out by the blue boarder it is placed on top of.

For the concept board below on Gustav Klimt I am pretty satisfied with but my professor suggested I add a black boarder around Klimt's portrait to emphasis that the board is about it. I plan to go back into Photoshop and see how I like it and decide if I will keep it without or with the boarder.

Then for the last concept board on that I did on contrast I felt there something missing but was unsure how exactly I wanted to resolve it. I thought about adding text below the image in the center to balance the composition better or my professor suggested that I enlarge the photo. Again, I will probably play around with both possibilities in Photoshop and then decide from there which one I prefer.

After I have made adjustments to these concept boards I will print them out again and then they will be mounted on poster board flush to the edge.

  

Homework #4

Chapter 9: Texture
1. Describe three ways to define a pattern in art or theory?
Pattern can be described as repetition of a motif, which can be a subject, design, shape, form, etc. Pattern can also be described as a template which is the arrangement of the subject. Pattern is also described as a naturalistic occurrence, such as the way a tree is formed, or the addictions people have, even thought processes are patterns.
2.How can a grid help to define pattern?
Using a grid can be effective in defining a pattern because often the subject that makes up a pattern is placed evenly throughout the piece, which makes it apparent it is a pattern. However, patterns are not always very controlled and can flow all throughout the piece and still have a successful pattern. Either way a grid is a great tool that allows you to consider the placement of the object(s) being used. You can decide if the pattern will be in rows, quadrants, diagonals, and much more. A grid can be very useful and should be viewed as guidelines, that allows the artist to explore different arrangements of the pattern or work.
3. Describe the similarities and differences in pattern and texture?
Pattern and texture can often be confusing to differentiate between the two because visually they can be very similar. The main difference is the touch, or the feel of the object. Pattern is a design (something visual) but it can have texture (something we feel). This can obviously happen the other way too, a texture can be or have pattern within it.  
4. How can texture be used to create visual interest?
Texture can create visual interest because it excites another one of our senses. Often we can see if a surface has texture and the ability to see and touch combined are more memorable than just one or the other. Implied texture can also be alluring because of the confusion or illusion that there is texture, it makes us question our perception. (Implied texture, is something that appears as if it would feel a certain way but actually does not because it’s flat.)
5. What is the difference between actual texture and implied texture?
Actual texture is something that has some volume and can actually be felt.
Implied texture is something that appears to look like it would feel a certain way if it was touched, but has no volume.
6. How do you define collage?
A collage is a combination of objects that are put together typically on a flat surface to create piece of work for various pieces of materials. An example of a collage could be a combination of different photograph put together. Or a collage can use various materials such as sand, seashells, paper, etc. all on one surface.

An example of a collage.... done by Damien Hirst titled Transgressor 2007

This was created out of butterflies, household gloss and placed on canvas.

 7. What is tromp L’oile?
Tromp L’oile is a French term, which means “to fool the eye” and means exactly that. It’s a way of producing work that fools the viewer’s mind into  thinking that what they are seeing is real or possibly a different medium. Typically, this is a painters term but I believe other mediums can also create works of art that fool the eye. In the end, it takes a lot of skill to be capable of recreating something to look exactly as it is realistically.

Chapter 12: Value

1. Define value and a value scale.
Value is simply a word for dark and light.
A value scale is a series of colors from white to black or the lightest and darkest values that will or could be used within a work.
2. What is achromatic gray?
Achromatic gray are mixtures of only black and white, with no chroma used in the mixture.
3. What is a value-contrast?
Value-contrast is the relationship between areas of dark and light.
4. How do you create balance in a composition with value?
Using a variety of value will help create balance in a composition.
5. How do you create emphasis with value?
You can create emphasis with value but surrounding the subject with dark and or light values.

Edward Hopper titled Automat 1927

This is an example of an emphasis on a subject with the use of value.

He places his subject, the lady at a white table with the background very dark to show contrast.

6. What is chiaroscuro? What period in art history was the word originally used?
Chiaroscuro is a term used during the Renaissance that describes the use of dark and light within a work of art to create volume and depth.
7. What is aerial or atmospheric perspective?
This is a technique used to create depth through the use of value. Typically, objects in the distance are not as distinct and fade out while objects in the front are more clearly defined and normally darker.
 

Leonardo da Vinci's Mona Lisa 1505

is an excellent example of atmospheric perspective. The women in the front is clear and crisply defined while in the landscape in the background becomes lighter and not as clearly defined. Leonardo is actually noted as one of the first person's to use atmospheric perspective.

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    In Barbra Kruger’s piece titled You Are Not Yourself she uses implied texture to add to her compositional layout and message. Barbra is known for her collages in which she uses found images and typically adds text to create controversial works of art. Since many of her works of art are in black and white (with a hint of red) she must consider her choices in value in order to create a piece with value-contrast. When creating her works of art she may use a value scale to ensure she is using the best possible values to create a unified composition. Many of her works also show the use of chiaroscuro which gives these two dimensional pieces great depth.

Fire and Water Panel 12x24

This is my fire and water panel, and I am not completely satisfied with the outcome for several reasons. First, the way I had imagined the panel to look is quite different than the outcome. I was thinking about the ideas of yin and yang and was trying to include that into this piece. I had actually planned to extend the panel larger than the 12x24 requirement and keep the entire circle intact. However, I was having trouble with abstracting the fire and due to that and a lack of time I unfortunately trimmed off the remainder of the circle. This project was challenging because as I had mentioned I had difficulty drawing what I imagined and therefore would spend more time brainstorming and trying to figure out solutions. If I were to start over I would have spent less time thinking about the outcome and just kept on drawing whether it was looking the way I wanted to or not. I'm not sure if this would have been a better solution, but it is something to consider trying. Regardless of the struggle, the assignment was enjoyable because I like the concept Heather chose, fire and water. The reason why I like the concept is because it made me think about so many different ideas and how to portray them which is a helpful tool in the arts. I also enjoyed this assignment because I had the chance to work with a new medium, micron markers. Working with new materials is always something I enjoy because experimentation is important to me, especially since I plan to be an Art Educator. By knowing different tools and mediums I will be able to one day share that with my students and will hopefully allow them to experience something new themselves. Anyway, I do plan to go back and work on this panel more because it can certainly use more contrast. I will post and updated version when I am completed.

Fire and Water

Our latest assignment for Foundation Design 2D is an abstract Fire and Water Panel. We are to use inspiration from the web and other resources such as our own photographs and personal experiences to portray fire and/or water in an abstract way. These are some of the photos I have selected to study and have create some thumbnail drawings from them. I am planning on having both elements, fire and water within my panel.

Metropolitan Museum - Compare and Contrast

Recently when viewing artwork from the Metropolitan Museum there were two pieces that immediately interested me because of the subject matter. Both the pieces were done by Edgar Degas, the one titled The Dancing Class, 1870 actually the first painting of many these dance scenes he made. The other piece that I enjoy is also parting of the dancing series and is titled Dancers Practicing at the Barre, 1877. There are apparent similarities such as similar object within the pieces. Within both of these works there are young female dancers with their hair up in bun, ballet shoes on their feet, and dance outfits with tutus. Not only do the young ladies have similar appearances in both pieces but so do the rooms, they both have bars for the dancers to balance and stretch as well as a watering can on the bottom left of each work. Other than the subject matter, there are also other small similarities such as the different hues he used when creating the works.

On the other hand, the way he treated the surfaces in each work is completely different. In The Dancing Class Edgar treated the wood surface very careful with oil paint. He made the surface smooth and blended the colors together well. Whereas in Dancers Practicing at the Barre he used mixed media on canvas to create a surface where the brushstrokes are more visible in some areas, which is also known as technique called impasto. Overall both works are aesthetically pleasing because of the artist's careful choices when creating the composition.

The Dancing Class

 

Dancers Practicing at the Barre

Quick View of Optical Line Design developing

This is a follow up of what was being viewed and discussed in the post Optical Line Design (the images being viewed are none of my prints but of other students in the class).

Homework #3

Chapter 4 - Balance

1.    Describe the difference between balance and imbalanced work?

The difference between balanced and imbalance work is the somewhat equal distribution of visual weight, or the lack of it.
2.    What is horizontal and vertical placement?

Horizontal placement or pictorial balance is the left and right sides of an image. Vertical placement is when there is a division of top and bottom.
3.    What is symmetrical balance, and give an art historical example?

Symmetrical balance can be seen when the image is divided by an axis whether the image is horizontal (landscape) or vertical (portrait), the same lines and shapes are repeated on each side of the imagery (ultimately a mirrored image). Symmetry however does not always need to be exactly the same on each side to be considered symmetrical but must distribute equal amount of visual weight, some people term this "near symmetry".

An example of a work of art the is symmetrical or near symmetry

Salvador Dali's The Elephants (Los Elefantes) 1948 Oil on Canvas

4.    How can asymmetrical balance be achieved with value/color/ shape and texture?

Asymmetrical balance can be achieved by objects, but also with value and color, and shape and texture. Since asymmetry is based on equal eye attraction, value and color can be effective ways to achieve this. For example, by having one side of the image dark in value and the other side or a different shape a lighter value it naturally makes the eye travel between the two contrasting shades and tints. Color can also be very powerful when using asymmetry because typically the human eye is immediately attracted to color verse black and white. It can be used in a similar way, such as having one area or object darker and the other lighter. Complementary colors are also useful in achieving asymmetry. Shapes are created by lines and lines allow the eye to travel to other lines and shapes. By using different shapes it can not only make for a more interesting composition but can also allow the viewer to see balance. Texture is another way to achieve asymmetrical balance and can be done so by adding texture to the positive an negative space.
5.    What is radial balance?

Radial balance is when the elements circle out from the central point of the shape or form.
6.    Give a good example of a piece of artwork?

Georgia O'Keeffe's Jimson Weed 1932 Oil on Canvas 48x40 inches

7.    What is a shape and how does it differ from volume and mass?

Shape can defined as an object that has an outline that can be formed by line, texture, hue, etc. Shape differs from volume and mass because shape is the look of the object and typically two dimensional. Volume and mass is more describing the space or amount of an object normally referring to three dimensional objects whether in a painting, a piece of architecture, sculpture, etc.

8.    What is the difference between naturalism and distortion in art and design?

Naturalism in art and design is when an artist uses different elements and principles to give an appearance to a work of art that is natural or looks as it should within its environment. Typically the artist will try to make these works looks realistic and consider proportion and perspective. Distortion is basically the opposite, in that the artist is not necessarily concerned with how the object looks within it's natural environment and will change the image by shrinking, stretching, adding texture where it does not belong, adding emphasis or taking away. Ultimately distortion is changing the imagery to make it look unnatural.

Define abstraction: How is your fire and water panel abstract? What concepts are informing your work on this project?

Abstraction is a way of obscuring an image to make it look visionary and/or unrealistic. A shape,form, object, idea is still within the work of art but may not be as noticeable to some, however once being told what the image is the viewer should hopefully be able to then see or at least understand why. Within our class we are creating an abstract fire and water panel, these are abstract because we are not just showing water as a distinct and realistic wave or fire as photo realistic campfire, we are viewing images and being inspired by certain parts of the imagery or all. Then we are creating images by studying the different lines, shapes, values, etc. associated with our images to create these panels. We are using different concepts such as lines thick to thin and curvilinear lines to straight to help us work on this project.

Chapter 8 - Shape and volume

1.    Define these terms in art:
2.    Non-objective - an image that is made to not look like a specific object  and therefore does not suggest the subject matter
3.    Curvilinear - shapes that have smooth, curved, lines and edges, with corners not meeting on an angle.
4.    Rectilinear - shapes that have hard and straight lines, with corners meeting at a angle.
5.    Positive and negative shapes - positive shapes are also known as the figure because they are normally the object or objects within the work or art. negative shapes can also be known as the ground because the negative shapes typically can be the background, landscapes, or "empty" spaces around the object. both the negative and positive shapes should be given close to equal amounts of time and energy in order to create a great piece of art.

Chapter 10 - Illusion of Space

1.    List three ways to depict illusion of depth - size, overlapping, linear perspective, vertical location, one point/two point perspective, aerial perspective
2.    What is one point perspective?

One point perspective is basically when there is a single view. There is one vanishing point on the horizon line and all the lines go toward that point to create the objects.
3.    Two point perspective?

Two point perspective is when there are two points and all the lines go to both points connecting the lines.
4.    What is an isometric projection?

Isometric projection is when parallel lines recede to a diagonal  but do not shorten to show depth.

5.    What is equivocal space? Find an example
 Equivocal space is when two images do not overlap to show that one is in front of the other, instead the artists chooses to create a transparency. This can create a visually interesting pattern and cause the viewer to be uncertain about which image in in front of behind.

Klee Rocks by Terry Sutherland Acrylic on Canvas 48x60

 In Robert Rauschenberg’s work titled Bed 1955 he shows volume through folding his blanket down partially and mass by leaving his pillow stuffed. This work is termed “combines,” which by a loose definition means a work of art that was a combination of items. For example he would use found, bought, and items within his own possession to create a work that combined these different materials. He states he, "wanted something other than what I could make myself and I wanted to use the surprise and the collectiveness and the generosity of finding surprises. And if it wasn't a surprise at first, by the time I got through with it, it was. So the object itself was changed by its context and therefore it became a new thing."

This piece includes oil and pencil on his own pillow, quilt, and sheet on wood supports. He used vertical placement which I believe gives the piece balance. The wooden rectilinear frame is suiting for the work because it does not take away from the shape of the original objects. Through his use of the paint he creates a sense of distortion in this very inspirational piece.

 To learn more about Robert Rauschenberg visit this site.

Optical Line Design

 

Four Panel Optical Line Layouts

This is the completed versions of the optical line designs. Each panel had a specific guideline for creating the lines and were meant to be abstract. The upper left panel (from the picture angle) was curvilinear lines which was my favorite one to do and the design I am most pleased with. I thought about covering in mostly all  the negative space but decided to stop where it was at in efforts to keep the kinesthetic rhythm flowing. Going around clockwise to the upper right panel was shape and line. This design I fell could look better by adding different shapes and more contrast. I will possibly go back in and alter the piece or try a new version that is more aesthetically pleasing to me. The bottom right panel was architecture and I was hesitant to do more then what is being seen in the above photograph. After viewing other students work I feel I have too much negative space and plan to go back in and add texture and or depth. The panel to the bottom left was thick to thin lines. This was the panel I started with, at first I was unsure how I felt about it but in the end I feel that it is simple but has a layered look which I like. After the lines were complete our teacher has us scan them onto a usb. From there we opened the images in photoshop where we altered the contrast slightly and then selected a panel to make a copy of and pasted in a new window. Afterward we made a copy of the original layer and then flipped the image vertically and matched up the lines. Then we made a copy of that and flipped the image horizontally and again matched up the lines. We did this with each panel and then printed four copies of each panel to expand our patterns even more. I will post a picture of the final prints once I have the the sheets put together and mounted.

Homeowrk 2 - Reading and Writing

focal point- an emphasis of a work of art, it's typically where the eye travels to first and then is placed in a way to allow the eye to travel to different parts of the image

3 ways to achieve a focal point- contrast, isolation, placement

3 types of rhythm- through shapes and repetition, alternating rhythm, progressive rhythm

Rhythm can be helpful in unifying a piece of art because it creates a pattern within the work.

kinesthetic rhythm- it's when something or some thing within a piece of work activates our senses such as touch, smell, sound

line- a mark that has both width and length with the length exceeding the width

contour- varying line weight to create space

gesture- a quick sketch to show the movement of a figure

implied- incomplete lines that suggests a figure

explicit- when the line is prominent in an image

lost and found line- the image is partially shown in a contour way, but fades out into darkness

line as direction- lines can show direction such as horizontal, vertical and diagonal and can imply different emotion

psychic lines- a way to manipulate the viewer to a certain part of the image

line as texture and pattern- line can show the way a surface would feel as well as a pattern or print which is a repetition of lines to create that visual element

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     In this image titled Painting by Alex Grey the focal point is the body of the artist. Then by line the viewers eye travels to different parts of the painting. The lines that he uses are explicit in order to emphasize the different shapes and images within the painting. He also uses line as direction, using vertical, horizontal, and diagonal lines which gives the painting an calm energetic movement.

     Alex grey uses many different colors and and layers of lines and brush strokes to create kinesthetic rhythm. For me the different senses that are activated while viewing this image are touch and sight. Ultimately he uses various design elements to create a certain rhythm to his pieces. Through looking at his work we can study line as texture and pattern to create beautiful works of art like he does.

 To see more of Alex Grey visit his website.

(You can also view some of his wife's work too!)

Wallpaper

This wallpaper print was done by Lynsey Jean Henderson from Scotland. This piece was also found when searching for different images on line to explore various art/design styles. This is the list she gave us

 ·    Edna Andrade
·    MC Escher
·    Optical line art
·    Optical art
·    Printed wallpaper
·    Modern abstract art

This was found under my printed wallpaper search... The point of searching for these different images was an overview on how to search for different image sizes, save images to a desktop, and sort them into folders using adobe bridge. I like this photo because of the different lines the artist used to create the images.

To see more of her hand printed works visit her blog Lynsey Jean Henderson

M.C. Escher

 

  Hand with Reflecting Sphere 1935 - Lithograph

During our first computer lab class for Foundation Design Heather had us search for images on line to view and save different art/design styles. She gave us a list to help us begin our searches and M.C. Escher was one of the suggestions. I've seen this image before and like it because it is very detailed and is a good example of lines.

To see more of his work you can look at the official webpage for M.C. Escher

Modern Abstract Art

 Expressive gestural painting done in black and white acrylic paint.          By: Jodie Lerch

I selected this image to post because it reminded me of the lines we made with black india ink on the first day of class. Heather told us when making the lines to consider speed, pressure, attitude, emotional quality, physical, and aesthetic or symbolic qualities. In this painting I feel the artist was considering the same ideas in order to create these unique line qualities.

Jodie Lerch's painting on Etsy

Cutting Ink Lines

For Foundation Design we made ink lines that varied in shape, size, style, mood etc. and then cut them to create different design compositions.

 

Homework 1

 

colorful pigeons amongst a flock of grey at the Venice

Image and Title By: Julian Charriere and Julius Von Bismark

In this image of these two colorfully dyed pigeons there are several types of visual

 unity that can easily be identified. For instance, since there is repetition of the pigeons

 we can immediately label them as the emphasis or otherwise known as the focal point

of the photo. Also due to the fact that the birds are in close proximity allows the

image to have strong continuity drawing the viewers eye from one bird to the other.

In all, this image has a certain harmony to it which makes it a very pleasing photo to

 view.

Visual unity- denotes some harmony or agreement between the items that is apparent to the eye

Gestalt- theory of visual psychology

Harmony- congruity or agreement exist among the elements in a design- look as like they belong together

Proximity- putting elements close together

Continuity- something continues usually a line, edge, or direction from one form to another

Repetition- something repeats in various parts of the design to relate to the parts of each other

Emphasis- or focal point- most important character or element

Chaos and control- there needs to be a level of unity unless an image can become too chaotic

The grid- a network of horizontal and vertical intersecting lines that the page creates a framework of areas

Making a Blog

Heather Ujiie our Professor for Foundation Design is shown instructing a 2D Foundation Design course at Moore College of Art and Design. She thought it would be an excellent idea to use the internet and different technological tools to create blogs. She believes this will be an excellent device for the class to share progression in school work, personal artwork/creations, ideas, thoughts and much more.